Category Archives: A History of Royal Dutch Shell

Henry van der Waerden, the Shell executive who defied Deterding and his Nazi ambitions

Who Killed Henry?: The book title arises from the fact that in 1937, Shell Director for Europe Henry van der Waerden was found dead in mysterious circumstances after receiving a threat from members of the Nazi movement. This was after he had failed to respond favourably to intense pressure from Deterding and the Nazis to do their bidding.

By John Donovan

I was recently contacted by Henry van Buuren, the grandson of Henry van der Waerden, an engineer who held a high-level position at Shell under Sir Henri Deterding. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Adolf Hitler, Anti-Semitic, Business Ethics, Business Principles, Collaboration, Germany, Hermann Göring, John Donovan, Oil, Royal Dutch Shell, Shell, Shell Spying, Sir Henri Deterding, Sir Henri Deterding and the Nazi History Royal Dutch Shell, Sir Henri Deterding Funeral, The Holocaust, The Nazi Party, The Nazis, The Netherlands, World War 2, Zyklon-B gas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Henry van der Waerden, the Shell executive who defied Deterding and his Nazi ambitions

Royal Dutch Shell should apologise for antisemitic conduct and Nazi support

Royal Dutch Shell should apologise for antisemitic conduct and Nazi support

By John Donovan

I strongly believe that Royal Dutch Shell should be held accountable for its outrageous antisemitic actions against its own employees, which cost some of them their lives. The same applies to Shell’s huge financial support for Nazi Germany that contributed to the deaths of some 50 million victims in WW2 including those poor souls who perished in the Holocaust. Shell’s leader, Sir Henri Deterding, was an ardent Nazi feted by Adolf Hitler. Shell has never apologised or expressed any remorse.  read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Adolf Hitler, Business Ethics, Business Principles, Germany, Human Rights, Royal Dutch Shell, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Shell, Sir Henri Deterding, Sir Henri Deterding and the Nazi History Royal Dutch Shell, The Holocaust, The Nazi Party | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Royal Dutch Shell should apologise for antisemitic conduct and Nazi support

CHAPTER 1: The best historians Shell could buy

By John Donovan

Shell commissioned a group of eminent “independent” historians (above) mostly Dutch, to author a history of Royal Dutch Shell to mark the Group’s centenary in 2007.  The introduction in Volume 1 pledged independent research and “a proper and even-handed assessment of Deterding.” Something went amiss because the “history,” as published in regard to his dealings with Hitler, is simply untrue.

On 24 May 2015, a light-hearted story in the Prufrock column of The Sunday Times posed the question: “ARE corporate histories the new harbingers of doom?”  It cited the release of corporate histories of two multinational banks that proved embarrassing to the banks due to unforeseen developments. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Adolf Hitler, Alfred Donovan, Anti-Semitic, Germany, John Donovan, John Donovan Ebook, Joost Jonker, Luiten van Zanden, Rhenania-Ossag, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Shell, Sir Henri Deterding, Stephen Howarth, The Nazis, The Netherlands, Uncategorized, Wikipedia, World War 2 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on CHAPTER 1: The best historians Shell could buy

CHAPTER 3: Royal Dutch Shell and the Nazis

The Shell logo is prominently displayed on tens of thousands of gasoline forecourts around the world.  In the 1930‘s, there was a strong bond between its most celebrated and feared leader, Sir Henry Deterding, a Dutchmen with “extreme right-wing opinions,” and the Nazi party led by another dictator, Adolf Hitler. Deterding became an ardent Nazi and was surrounded by Nazi appeasers.

In the years just before WW2, a number of Dutch top executives at Royal Dutch Shell let their principles be corrupted by the Third Reich. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Adolf Hitler, Anti-Semitic, Apartheid, Appeasement, Bataafsche, Fritz De Kok, Germany, Hauptmann Eckhardt von Klass, Jewish, Oil, Rhenania-Ossag, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Russia, Shell, Sir Henri Deterding, The Nazi Party, The Nazis | Comments Off on CHAPTER 3: Royal Dutch Shell and the Nazis

CHAPTER 8: Royal Dutch Shell Anti-Semitism

In the pre-war years, Royal Dutch Shell adopted anti-Semitic policies within its Germany subsidiary, and subsequently in the Netherlands following occupation by the Nazis. The Swastika flag flew on the classic Dutch facade of Royal Dutch’s head office at 30 Carel van Bylandtlaan in The Hague. Displayed immediately below is a screenshot of the adjacent current HQ of Royal Dutch Shell Plc.

As his infatuation with the Nazis grew, Sir Henri Deterding began making anti-Semitic remarks in his correspondence. See page 481 RDSH V1. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Anti-Semitic, Bataafsche, Collaboration, Germany, Hauptmann Eckhardt von Klass, Human Rights, Jewish, Rhenania-Ossag, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Shell, Sir Henri Deterding, The Nazi Party | Tagged | Comments Off on CHAPTER 8: Royal Dutch Shell Anti-Semitism

CHAPTER 14: Control of Royal Dutch Shell companies in Nazi-occupied Europe

The Nazis presented considerable challenges to Royal Dutch Shell over control of its subsidiaries in occupied countries. The above caricature (and seated Nazi officer in the photograph) is a former Shell director, Hauptmann Eckhardt von Klass. He was the Verwalter (administrator) appointed by the Nazis to “exercise supervision over Group companies in occupied Europe.” See pages 80 and 81 from RDSH V2.

Before, during, and after World War 2, Royal Dutch Shell was the owner of companies located in Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe, including Rhenania-Ossag. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Hauptmann Eckhardt von Klass, I.G. Farben, IG Farben, Jewish, Rhenania-Ossag, Royal Dutch Petroleum Company, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Shell, Slave labor, The Nazi Party, The Nazis, The Netherlands | Tagged | Comments Off on CHAPTER 14: Control of Royal Dutch Shell companies in Nazi-occupied Europe

CHAPTER 16: Shell historians attempt to distance Deterding from Hitler

Shell’s historians downplayed the relationship between Hitler and Deterding. As far they are concerned, the two never met. They said that a request by Sir Henri for a meeting with Hitler in March 1933 was rebuffed and disregarded Deterding’s claim that he met with Hitler in November 1933.  Not only were there meetings. Deterding “was revered and ultimately mourned by Hitler.”

Shell’s historians portrayed the relationship between Deterding and Hitler as standoffish on the part of Hitler, with all of Deterding’s attempts to meet with him being rebuffed. See pages 481 to 485 of RDSH V1. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Adolf Hitler, Berchtesgaden, Berlin, Castle Dobbin, Eva Braun, Germany, John Donovan, Mecklenburg, Reichsmarks, Rhenania-Ossag, Shell, Sir Henri Deterding, Sir Henri Deterding and the Nazi History Royal Dutch Shell, Swastika flag, The Nazi Party, The Nazis, Uncategorized, Wikipedia | Comments Off on CHAPTER 16: Shell historians attempt to distance Deterding from Hitler

CHAPTER 19: INDEX OF KEY DATES

Index of key dates:

Henri Deterding served as chairman of the combined Royal Dutch/Shell oil company between 1900 and 1936.

In or around 1931, Deterding bought a hunting estate in rural Mecklenburg, Germany. See page 477 RDSH V1.

The Reichstag fire, a pivotal event in the rise of Hitler, took place in January 1933.

On 30 January 1933 (page 465 RDSH V1) Hitler was appointed Reich Chancellor of Germany. 

Deterding welcomed Hitler’s appointment and by November 1933, Deterding said that he had met Hitler. See page 477 RDSH V1. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Adolf Hitler, Berchtesgaden, Mecklenburg, Rhenania-Ossag, Royal Dutch Petroleum Company, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Shell, Sir Henri Deterding, The Nazi Party, The Nazis, The Reichstag fire, World War 2 | Comments Off on CHAPTER 19: INDEX OF KEY DATES

CHAPTER 20: Shell cloak and dagger activities

Titled Shell directors, the late Sir Peter Holmes, and Sir William Purves were also directors, major shareholders and the ultimate spymasters in a private spy firm, Hakluyt & Company, founded by former senior MI6 officers. Shell used Hakluyt to engage in cloak and dagger operations against its perceived enemies, including Greenpeace, as exposed in a Sunday Times article (above and below).

The main content of Chapter 20, which relates to Shell’s use of corporate espionage against its perceived enemies, is not included in this online version of John Donovan’s EBook: Sir Henri Deterding and the Nazi History of Royal Dutch Shell. Shell’s espionage targets have included Greenpeace, The Body Shop, and John Donovan. He has been the subject of admitted uncover activity and a global spying operation as revealed by Shell internal documents read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Business Ethics, Business Principles, Hakluyt & Company, John Donovan, John Donovan Ebook, Shell, Shell Spying | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on CHAPTER 20: Shell cloak and dagger activities

Chapter 22: Author’s unique connection with Shell

John Donovan, the author of “Sir Henri Deterding and the Nazi History of Royal Dutch Shell

As the Chairman of an International sales promotion agency and more recently as an individual, I have a relationship with Royal Dutch Shell stretching back over 35 years. It has been the subject of media coverage in newspapers, magazines and TV news and documentary features. It took a wrong turn when Shell misappropriated  ideas I had disclosed to the company in strictest confidence.

In  the Ed Vulliamy article about my campaign to rename a $3 billion new ship hired by Shell, reference was made to a Shell related website I co-founded with my late father a decade ago:  read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.
Posted in A History of Royal Dutch Shell, Adolf Hitler, Alaska, Arctic, Bill Campbell, Donald G. Lane, Dr. John Huong, Environment, Germany, Human Rights, John Donovan, John Donovan Ebook, Michiel Brandjes, Nigeria, Oleg Mitvol, Peter Voser, President Putin, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Russia, Shell, Shell Spying, Sir Henri Deterding, Sir Henri Deterding and the Nazi History Royal Dutch Shell, The Nazi Party, The Nazis, World War 2 | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Chapter 22: Author’s unique connection with Shell